


Proposal stories are overrated

by Vlareina



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22571488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vlareina/pseuds/Vlareina
Summary: Tadashi has always dreamed of getting married to Kei. And today's finally the day that he decides to get that show on the road.
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 12
Kudos: 118





	Proposal stories are overrated

**Author's Note:**

> So in case this isn't super clear, the story starts in the present day, then it kinda goes into like daydreaming past, then comes back to present day. If it's still not too clear, tell me!

Tadashi is nervous. Like holy hell is he nervous. Sweaty palms, pounding heartbeats, a faint sense of nausea. The whole shabang.

But nevertheless, he’s excited. Today’s finally the big day. Today. Today. Today!

After weeks of preparation, months of waiting, years of being together, it’s finally come down to this.

He’s finally ready to propose to Kei. And he’s not gonna chicken out, or try to convince himself otherwise, or conveniently die a second before he finally asks.

Today’s the day.

Tadashi may be nervous about the asking process, but he’s never been more sure of a decision in his life.

He’s absolutely positive that there is no one else he wants to spend the rest of his life with-- no one other than Kei.

Now all that’s left is asking Kei if he feels the same way.

* * *

Tadashi has known that he’s wanted to marry his best friend since he was in high school. He never doodled “Tsukki” in his notebook with hearts around it, nor did he plan out how he was going to change his name to match the Tsukishima family’s; no, nothing as obvious as that. What he did do though was imagine walking down the aisle towards where Kei was, or Kei walking down the aisle to him, or them slow dancing to Kei’s favorite song at the time (nevermind that it was rarely a slow dance type of song). He imagined everything from beginning to end in their wedding. Even before they’d started dating during their second year, he’d been thinking about the venue and the flowers and the cake.

Maybe he’d been a bit of a romantic, had a bit of an overactive imagination, but mostly it’d been because he loved Kei. He truly did.

He’s been in love with him for longer than he’s really understood what it means to love someone outside of his family. He feels secure in this knowledge. He knows that he will never love anyone else as much as he loves Kei; as deeply as he feels for Kei. Therefore, getting married to Kei is really just something extra special to him. It’s more than just the “next step” in their relationship. He wants to marry Kei because he wants a day where they can celebrate their love in front of their friends and families. A day where nothing else matters more than them together.

Yet, while he knows that he wants to get married, Kei is a little harder to read at times.

That’s why his main anxiety with the entire “eternity” process is whether or not Kei will want to actually go through with marriage. From the weddings that they’ve been to, Kei’s never seemed really interested in the celebration. And it’s not because he doesn’t love the couple (though he may not admit it unless under extreme duress or if you get enough alcohol in him) because he certainly does. But Kei just feels like marriage is overrated. If the couple know that they love each other, and that they want to spend the rest of their lives together, then what use is a fucking piece of paper? So long as the people in the relationship knew where they stood with one another, then there’s no need to spend such a large amount of money on something as frivolous as a wedding. 

Listen, Tadashi gets it, weddings usually are awfully expensive and they can be more for the family rather than the couple, but they have the potential to be so much more than that.

Weddings can be so magical and special and beautiful. When he can see the love written plain as day on the couple’s faces as they slow dance in front of their loved ones; when he can hear the way their voices get choked up, when reciting their vows of love for one another, in front of their entire families; when he can feel the bond between the two of them, as if no one else in the room had to understand what they saw in one another, because they themselves understood. That’s when he knows just how beautiful a wedding can be.

And he wants to share those moments with Tsukki. He wants to share those looks, those vows, those feelings with the other man. That’s why he’s determined to convince Kei to accept his proposal, to accept him as his husband.

It’s nerve wracking to think of Kei rejecting him, but he knows that if he can just properly ask Kei, and show him exactly what a wedding could mean for them, then Kei could be convinced to get married.

The only problem at this moment? He’s still unsure on the best way to propose to Tsukki.

Like don’t get him wrong, he loves the other man, and accepts him for the man he is, but that doesn’t eliminate the fact that at the end of the day, Kei can be pretty picky about the things he likes. He definitely becomes a real baby when he doesn’t get his way. So Tadashi wants to avoid any possible negative emotions with this proposal. Everything has to be perfect if he wants Tsukki to fondly reminisce about his wedding proposal. He wants his boyfriend to talk about how perfect the proposal was, and how it made him need to say yes to marriage.

So to cover all bases, Tadashi had turned to their friends, to see if any of their ideas were any good.

And yes Tadashi knows that maybe it wasn’t his best idea cause like who knows Tsukki better than him? No one, that’s who. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

There’d been the obvious initial questioning of the family, but when Akiteru had started throwing out suggestions about the world’s more public proposal with the greatest fanfare known to man, Tadashi figured he’d just have to ignore most of his advice and gently let him down when he next sees him and surprises him with the news. Though the tip about Tsukki’s free nights from the museum had been helpful for planning the night of the proposal.

Next, he thought he could go simple and dignified at a fancy restaurant, like Suga and Daichi both suggested. But something about dressing up and going out for this occasion just doesn’t feel right? Since neither of them are ones for going out, especially not to fancy places, to do the proposal in this setting didn’t feel personal enough for them. Though the advice about keeping it simple had been helpful.

Then there was Yachi’s idea, involving a more personal night with dinner at one of their favorite diners before a nice walk through the park, where under the stars Tadashi would tell Kei how much he means to him, and how happy Tsukki makes him. Except, this too didn’t feel right. He’s always been the sappier one of the two, even if Tsukki is a closet romantic, so while it fits in with many of their relationship milestones reached under the cloak of darkness, Tadashi wants something different for this occasion. But the idea about telling Kei straight out how much he loves him is important to Tadashi.

Hinata and Kageyama were no help, though he’d doubted the merit of asking them from the beginning. Though, desperate times do call for desperate measures...but even then, their suggestion of a volleyball game where Tadashi hit an epic jump floater to remind Tsukki of the days when they first got together, is just a little too volleyball oriented. Those two might have a relationship where volleyball and high school is central to their origin story, but that’s not quite the feel Tadashi wants to go for when he proposes. He’ll leave the volleyball proposal to the two of them.

Ennoshita’s candlelit dinner? Tsukki hates candles with a passion. Something about the sheer irrational nature to use less light to “set a mood” just sets Tsukki off on a rant. It’d be bizarre what gets him passionate if Tadashi didn’t love him so much. Honestly, it’s just one of Tsukki’s quirks at this point.

Asahi’s picnic lunch? Tsukki hates being under the sun for more time than absolutely necessary. He also hates being outside, but that’s probably just because of the time he got sunburn really badly when Akiteru took them to the beach. He’d been a bright pink, sensitive, mess. And a picnic didn’t feel like enough to convince Tsukki to marry him. It was a cute idea for a date night though. A stay at home type of night. Picnic in their living room type of night.

Kuroo’s museum scavenger hunt? Cute and Tsukki-interest oriented, but lacking in the “Tsukki will say yes” proposal punch factor. Sure, having Tsukki search for clues on where Tadashi is hiding with the ring sounds fun in theory, but the man would figure out what was going on in a heartbeat. And no way would Tadashi be able to keep it a secret if he does it in the museum Kei works at.

Bokuto’s archeologist adventure where Tadashi hides the ring in a “found dino excavation site” for Tsukki to dig up and surprise himself with? 10/10 Tadashi loves it cause like Tsukki loves him some nice dinos. What more could a boy ask for? But even he knows that it’s unrealistic for a proposal that doesn’t end with rejection or a lost ring. Plus there’s the fact that it sounds like a kinda expensive endeavor and Tadashi ain’t made of money.

Akaashi had come the closest to a possible proposal idea that Tadashi felt could work for Tsukishima. A home cooked meal with a strawberry shortcake. A calm night in where Tadashi can tell him how much he loves him and needs him. The issue is that it doesn’t feel dramatic enough? What would make it scream “This is your proposal babyyy.” ? What could he do to distinguish it from any other night?

The day Tadashi plans to propose is 3 months away and Tadashi can only wait and see what proposal idea he'll have decided on by then.

* * *

It’s here. Today. Today’s the day. It’s finally here.

He’s so fucking nervous that his heart feels like it’s gonna jump out of his throat. It’s just beating, and beating, and beating, and it feels like everyone within a ten mile radius should be able to hear it. God he hopes it slows down before Kei gets back.

Tadashi sits at the dinner table and stares absently at the stove. He goes over every detail one last time, in a desperate attempt to distract himself.

The ring he decided on is currently burning a hole in his pocket. It’s a simple gold band with the date they met and their initials engraved on the inside, in between some music notes. He’s been trying to decide on what type of ring would best suit Kei for a while now, but in the end Tadashi knows that Kei is more a fan of sentimentality than luxury. Tadashi hopes that Kei is happy with what he decided on.

In the end, he’s gone with Akaashi’s dinner suggestion. It wasn’t too unique as far as proposals are concerned, but he feels like Kei wouldn’t want anything too out there or different anyways. So long as they’re together, right?

Dinner is still finishing up on the stove, and a strawberry shortcake that he just frosted is in the fridge. He has the tv turned on in the living room, and Kei’s 2nd favorite documentary (they’d watched the first favorite the previous week) queued up for after the proposal. It’s to act as a sort of pick me up after Kei rejects him or a relaxing victory movie after Kei accepts him.

Everything is just about ready, and Kei’s gonna be home soon. There’s absolutely nothing left to distract him from his worries. Worries like, what if this isn’t enough to convince Kei? What if it’s just not what Kei wants? Tadashi doesn’t really have a back up plan here. He’s counting on Kei seeing what kind of life Tadashi can provide and realizing that he can be happy by his side for the rest of his life. 

So if everything could just go absolutely perfect, following his plans precisely to the T, that would be great!

It may be irrational, but Tadashi is sure that if even one thing goes wrong, then Kei won’t even consider his proposal and just tell him that everything is fine the way it is. And Tadashi can learn to be okay with that. He loves Kei with all his heart, and if the other man feels that he isn’t ready (or may never be ready) for marriage, then Tadashi will accept that. It’ll hurt at first, but if that’s what Kei wants, then it’s probably what he thinks is best for their relationship. Tadashi can respect his partner’s wishes, and see things from his point of view. And if Kei wants to just see if another 2, 5, 10 months makes a difference in his answer? Well then he can wait a little longer. What’s another year to add onto the list if it means that their relationship can stay steady?

Except, he really doesn’t want to wait. He wants to promise the rest of his life to his best friend-to his partner- right now. He wants to start their future sooner rather than later. He wants it so, so much--

“Tadashi, I’m home.” Caught midthought, Tadashi turns away from the stove and towards the front door where he can hear Kei coming in. Patting his pocket one last time to ensure that the ring is in place, Tadashi clears his throat before he stands up to welcome Kei back.

Here we go. Showtime.

* * *

Dinner seemed to go well. Kei hadn’t said anything negative about it at least.

“I hope you’re not too full yet. I made you your favorite.” Tadashi cuts a slice from the cake and brings it over to Kei at the dining table. His hands are shaking too much for Kei to not notice. He really hopes that Kei will be kind enough to pretend, to keep from pointing anything out. He sets the slice down on Kei’s placemat and moves to his seat across from him.

As Kei starts to eat the cake slice, he quirks a brow and comments “If you’re this nervous about your cooking, then maybe I should be worried about eating it.”

Tadashi flinches in his seat, quick to correct the other man, “No no no, everything’s fine. I’m just a little sleepy, so I had a coffee earlier to try and wake myself up. Guess the caffeine left me all jittery though.” He tries to smile, but can feel it flickering on his face.

Kei puts down his fork, and takes a deep breath. He nods his head once and says, “Yamaguchi, just ask me already.” 

Rationally, Tadashi knows that there are a million things that Kei could be talking about. Maybe he thinks Tadashi is nervous about asking him to go on a double date with Hinata and Kageyama again, or maybe he thinks that Tadashi wants his opinion on the new kitchen backsplash, or maybe he thinks that Tadashi has a super important question to ask him about something completely unrelated to marriage. They’re all legit possibilities ( listen, they totally could be), but somehow Tadashi just knows that Kei knows about the proposal and is just waiting for him.

All he can think to ask is how the hell Kei found out. Did someone spill or was Tadashi just that obvious?

Kei gets this smug little smirk on his face. “You’re not very sneaky love. I’ve known for a while. Plus, those two idiots kept asking me if you took their advice in the end.” Kei looks down at the cake and waves vaguely around the apartment, “I can only hope that this wasn’t what their plan consisted of because I told them that never in a million years would I like their proposal advice. Please don’t make me a liar ‘Dashi.”

Tadashi curls up on his chair and shakes his head. “No, this was mostly Akaashi’s advice. You were supposed to eat the cake and then we’d go watch a movie, and when everything felt right I’d ask you.”

“Was this what you’d been all worked up about? It’s just another night between the two of us Tadashi. It’s just another question.”

Incensed. That’s how he feels. Frustrated by Kei’s lack of understanding.

“But Tsukki, you don’t understand! Nothing felt right! No one’s advice felt like it’d be enough, like it’d be what you wanted in a proposal. Sorry Tsukki. Sorry that this was ‘just another question’ I was irrationally nervous about.” Tadashi stares at Kei for a moment, trying to get his message across to the other man. When Kei only continues to look back blankly, Tadashi huffs. Unable to look at him for a moment longer, he gets up from the table and goes to put the rest of the dirty dishes in the sink.

To think, all these months of planning, all these friends of theirs’ support, all that time worrying. All for them to butcher the proposal before it even begins. Pathetic.

Behind him, Kei tsks and pushes his chair out from the table. “Tadashi, that’s not what I meant. I’m just saying, regardless of how you’d decided to ask me, I would’ve said yes. You could have followed any one’s advice, anyone’s ideas, anyone’s dumbass suggestions and I would have been powerless against you. I would’ve said yes to you any day of the week, anytime of the day. I will always say yes to you.” 

Tadashi freezes at the sink. He can hear Kei walking closer to him, but he registers that only dimly.

Powerless?

Against him?

Kei would’ve felt powerless to say no? He would’ve said yes to anything? But Kei doesn’t like weddings, or proposals, or soppy romantic dribble. Why would he say yes to Tadashi’s proposal regardless?

“Tadashi, I love you with all my heart. If you want to get married, who am I to deny you of that? If you want to spend the rest of your life by my side, I will gladly accept any and all conditions. Because, Tadashi, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You’re the only person I can see myself saying sappy wedding vows to in front of my family.”

Tadashi is helpless to Kei reeling him into his arms. His back is flush to Kei’s chest, the other man’s long arms wrapped tight around his waist.

How desperately Tadashi wants to turn around. But he knows Kei. He knows that the main reason he is hearing these things now is because Kei had been terrified of saying them to his face before. Kei knows he wants to hear them though, so he’s trying for his sake. So for now, for how he waits. He asks with his back turned to Kei so that Kei can gather his thoughts without any eyes on him.

“But you hate weddings. Why would you go through with it, even for me?”

Kei leans into his neck, whispers in his ear, “Because, it’s you. It’s you I’d be getting married to. It’s you I’d be saying my vows to. It’s you I’d be dancing with. And because it’s you, I know you. I know how much you love weddings. How much you’ve dreamed of getting married one day. And because it’s you, my Love, I’m willing to meet you in the middle. We can have a smaller wedding so that I won’t have to see so many useless people, and you can still fulfill your dream of getting married in front of family.” Tadashi can feel how fast Kei’s heart beats against his back. It matches the racing of his own. “‘Dashi, I’d do anything to make you happy. I’d do anything for you, because I know that you’d do anything for me too.”

And that’s all Tadashi can take before he starts to cry.

Kei spins him around quickly, bringing Tadashi tight against his chest once more, only this time with his head tucked under his chin. “It’s alright love, I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere.”

And Tadashi has always known this. He’s always known that Kei cares for him. That he truly does love him, because who else does Kei allow himself to be vulnerable around, and playful around, and careful around? Who else does Kei talk about building a future with? Who else does Kei whisper  _ I love you _ ’s to at night as he crawls into bed?

But hearing Kei tell him that he would marry him, would do anything to make him happy? To hear that being said to him, rather than just implied? That’s something Tadashi will treasure forever.

Clearing his throat, Tadashi tries to stop his tears from coming out anymore.

Kei softly rubs his back in small circles as he asks him, “So ‘Dashi, have you got anything to ask me?”

Taking a deep breath, Tadashi slowly extracts himself from Kei’s arms. The other man just calmly wipes his face of any leftover tears, gives him a light kiss on the tip of his nose, and smiles gently at him.

He reaches into his pocket to take out the ring--the simple gold band, that he knows now more than ever is exactly what Kei would want-- gathers his courage, and finally readies himself to ask Kei if he’ll marry him.

It’s time.

He doesn’t drop down to one knee, nor does he have anything set up to record the proposal, nor does he have any speech memorized. He just does what comes naturally to them, that’s all they’ve ever been about.

Standing there, in front of the sink, he looks at Kei and tells him,

“Tsukishima Kei, I love you. I have loved you for as long as I’ve known you. Maybe I’ve loved you for longer, because it feels like there’s never been a time that I’ve never loved you. You started out as my best friend, and to this day you’re still the person I consider my bestest friend. You are my oldest confidant. The first person I turn to when I have a secret I need to tell. You were my first love, my only love. My only soulmate, the man I wish to spend the rest of my life with. We were together through thick and thin, through the ups and downs in life. Know that I will always love you for the rest of my life.” Here Tadashi feels a mischievous grin flash across his face. “And you know it’s real love too cause I stuck by you even in high school when you were kind of an asshat at times-”

Kei has up to this point been watching his face, eyes wide open as though they are trying to memorize the sight in front of them. But at this, he can’t shut down the automatic snort, and the exclamation, “Hey! I’m a fucking delight, and you know it,” that seems to come out unconciously.

Giggling, Tadashi smiles up at Kei, as he continues, “Come on Tsukki, you know it’s true. You’re a dumbass and an idiot and a bit of a cranky bitch but I can’t see myself being made anywhere near this happy by anyone else in the world. Whether or not we are together, I can’t help wanting to make myself a stronger person because of you. The harmony between us cannot be broken. I can never forget you, nor the way you make me feel. This bond cannot be forgotten because Tsukishima Kei, there is no way anyone can forget the part of themselves that makes them complete. I want you and I care for you and I love you. Now, will you continue to be my best friend, my partner, my other half, and make me the happiest man on earth by marrying me?”

Tadashi holds eye contact with Kei. First he sees the blush burn bright on Kei’s ears, then watches as it travels steadily higher up his face as his speech goes on. By the time he’s done, Kei is only just barely maintaining eye contact with him as his face shines bright pink.

Clearing his throat, Kei takes the ring from Tadashi’s fingers and places it on his left ring finger.

“Of course I’ll marry you Tadashi. Who else is there for me in this world if not you?” 

The warmth that fills Tadashi at that is immeasurable, and the only way he can express his joy is to throw himself at Kei. Strong arms wrap tight around him, and a heated face buries itself in his neck.

It’s time to start their forever.

__________

_ Epilogue: _

Tadashi wants to update their friends on the outcome, regardless of how little Kei thinks they need to know.

**-“He said yes!!!”** _A brightly grinning Tadashi stands beside a softly smiling Kei. While Tadashi’s eyes are on the phone in his hands, Kei’s are on Tadashi. Kei’s hand is in the frame of the photo, a simple gold band on his finger._

**“AHHHH!! I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU YAMS!!”**

**“Fuck, yeah!”**

**“I knew he would, he’s not that dumb”**

**“I’m so happy for you guys!”**

**“Why the fuck do i not get ny photoes or vidoes of this? Yall better be prepared to redo the scene with sometone regording it for me!!”**

**“is this for tax reasons???”**

**“Wait Tadashi, what plan did you end up going with?? I’ve got money riding on this you know”**

**“If Kei cried, I win 10 bucks, so please please please tell me he crieddd”**

**“Oh hush all of you. You’re all dumbasses. Congrats to my two favorite kouhai <3”**

**“Alright guys, all you need to know if that he said yes, maybe one day i’ll tell y'all more. But for now, goodbyeeee!! i’m off to go talk to my fiance.”**

Smiling slightly, Tadashi shakes his head at his friends’ insanity. He ignores the continuous buzzing of his phone as he sets it down on the counter.

They’re definitely the best friends a guy could ask for, but he’s kinda got more important things to focus on right now.

“Hey ‘Dashi, get the cake and two forks, yeah? We’ve finally got time to marathon that new series that Akaashi recommended, and we definitely wouldn’t want your hard work to go to waste, now would we?”

Grabbing the requested items, Tadashi can only grin more as he sees Kei rolled up in a corner of the couch under an old blanket of theirs. Yeah, he’s definitely got much more important stuff to focus on.

Making his way to Kei’s side, he drops down right next to him and curls up under the offered blanket and outstretched arm. Overall, he doesn’t think he could’ve asked for a more perfect proposal. Here’s hoping no one asks for the story though. That’s something he’d rather keep just between them two. Their wedding can be the love they share with their friends, but this, right here? This is the love that they share between themselves. And that’s that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are always welcome and very much appreciated!
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed my story and it made you smile!
> 
> If you see any errors, or inconsistencies please please do tell me! I'll make changes as necessary. Tags may change to add more but otherwise this story is done!
> 
> (though if someone wants a wedding, might just fuck around and do one,,,but that's not a promise)


End file.
